Tunnel blaze under N12 bridge extinguished

Firefighters have extinguished a rubble fire in a tunnel beneath the N12 bridge in the city of Ekurhuleni.

Plumes of smoke were seen emanating from the tunnel beneath the Boeing East road bridge in Bedfordview.

The bridge is constructed over the N12 freeway.

Tunnel fire

Ekurhuleni Emergency Services spokesperson William Ntladi said they received the call at about 11:56am

“On arrival, crews from three fire stations in the region, Bedfordview, Edenvale and Primrose, positively identified heavy dense smoke emission from the tunnel under the road bridge.

“Recycling materials were positively identified to be burning from the vertical tunnel next to the pillar post. The depth of the tunnel is unknown, and no casualties have been found thus far. There were heaps of rubble on each side of the bridge with blankets showing that the area is used as a sleeping place,” Ntladi said.

Caution

Ntladi said the area is plagued by poor visibility for motorists, especially those using the westbound N12 freeway.

“Motorists are urged to be cautious when approaching the area.”

School fire

Meanwhile, police are investigating a case of arson following a devastating fire that ripped through Riverlea Secondary School.

The blaze broke out at the school last week, just a day before pupils and teachers were to return.

Three classrooms, a laboratory, and the school library were gutted by the fire. This is the third fire at the same school.

Sabotage

Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile, who visited the Riverlea Secondary School on Wednesday, said the series of fires at the school is concerning.

Maile said a preliminary police report indicated the fire was an act of sabotage.

“It’s a criminal activity. It’s not for the first time, I’m sure they’ve told you by now, this is a third incident. The first one happened in 2007, and there was another one last year, 2025.”

Maile said every school has its own challenges, but his department has to guarantee and commit to a bare minimum standard being in place.